Minnesota arrived in the B1G West last season.

After spending the first two seasons of the P.J. Fleck era hovering over around the .500 mark, the Golden Gophers took a huge leap in 2019, finishing with an 11-2 record, which included wins over ranked opponents Penn State and Auburn in the Outback Bowl.

Fleck and Co. are trying to prove that last season wasn’t a flash in the pan, and that the level of success Minnesota enjoyed last season can be sustained.

Even though the Gophers lost leading receiver Tyler Johnson, top running back Rodney Smith and offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, there’s still a lot of talent on the offensive side of the football. There shouldn’t be questions about whether or not Minnesota can score points, but rather if its defense can keep teams out of the end zone.

ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) has projected how the Gophers’ season will go in 2020. Here’s how it’s predicting each game:

  • Oct. 24: vs. Michigan — 44.2% chance of victory
  • Oct. 31: at Maryland — 83.8% chance of victory
  • Nov. 7: at Illinois — 67.5% chance of victory
  • Nov. 14: vs. Iowa — 50.3% chance of victory
  • Nov. 21: vs. Purdue — 73.2% chance of victory
  • Nov. 28: at Wisconsin — 13.4% chance of victory
  • Dec. 5: vs. Northwestern — 49.4% chance of victory
  • Dec. 12: at Nebraska — N/A